Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Module descriptor 2011-12
CI9-B4–Business Environments and Construction Law
Course leader:
Other contributors:
Module status:
Pre- or co-requisites:
Term:
Contact hours:
ECTS units:
Ms Alison Ahearn
Professor Dot Griffiths (Deputy Principal - Imperial Business School)
Core for H2B3, H2U7, H2U2, H2A4, H2B5, H2A8, H2B1
CI9-B1, CI9-B2, CI9-B3
Spring Term
30
4-6 (depending on core MSc programme)
Description:
This unit is intended to provide students with an appreciation of the complexity of construction project
management and how it differs from infrastructure management.The unit deals with the management of
people in the business environment and with thetraditional use of construction law as a management tool (or
weapon) in the UK construction/civil engineering industry. The course focuses on interactions of humans and
companies in a construction project setting, and is intended to show the characteristics that make UK
construction project management different from its European counterparts and different from other areas of
management.
Objectives:
Students should be able to discuss the two dominant approaches to construction management in England: the
law-led model and the people-management approach.
Requirements and Recommendations:
The course is introductory: there is no assumed knowledge of specialist theory. However, students who are
not familiar with the English legal system are recommended to do some general background reading from the
internet, to become familiar with some of the language used for discussing law and law-making. Visit
www.parliament.uk and click on “how Parliament works”. Within that section, note the information on ‘making
laws’. Students who are environmental or transport specialists will benefit from doing some general reading or
thinking about ‘construction projects’: the complexity of creating the Olympics-related structures, transport,
environmental control and future legacy would be a good example to consider (either Beijing or London
Olympics projects).
Lectures and Responsible Teaching Staff:
Alison Ahearn is a lawyer with a special interest in Construction Law and engineering project management
(particularly construction management). Her lectures are intended to show how contract law has been the
dominant management tool for civil engineering in the UK for the last hundred years and how that strategy
has been changing since the mid-1990s. Professor Dot Griffiths of the Business School then lectures on
Human Resource Management, continuing the theme of modernising construction management through
understanding the management of the people working on any project for any company.
Coursework is done by classroom presentations during term, using group work.
ATTENDANCE AT THE COURSEWORK SESSIONS IS COMPULSORY. Failure to attend and participate will
result in a zero coursework mark.
Lecture Schedule
Lectures will be presented by Prof Griffiths and then by Alison Ahearn. An exam tutorial (to assist you in
preparing for the CI9-B4 module exam questions) will be held by Alison Ahearn near the end of term.
Students benefit by bringing their questions and queries to that tutorial.
Revised: 27 September 2011
Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering
Module descriptor 2011-12
Tutorials and other Activities:
The lectures are mixed with interactive work or discussion work, so that the only formal “tutorials” are revision
tutorials at the end of term to aid students in their preparation for the examination.
Required text:
The course focuses on material delivered in the classroom and fosters student discussion. There is no single
required text. Many legal resources are available on the internet for free and students are encouraged to use
these. The discussions in the classroom are central to students’ understanding and students are expected to
take notes in class.
For general insight, students may visit the website for Constructing Excellence
http://www.constructingexcellence.org.uk/
Assessment and weighting for each unit is as follows:
B4 – Business Environments & Construction Law
Examination:
Rubric
Weighting
Coursework:
Weighting
Two thirds of one two-hour paper undertaken in April/May
Answer both questions
90%
In-class individual assessment
10%
Revised: 27 September 2011